Jacksonville

Half Dome – Yosemite Musing
No not today’s Jacksonville, Florida . . . but the old historic town of Jacksonville in the Sierra foothills. Never heard of it? Well, you’ll need scuba gear to see it now – it’s under the Don Pedro Reservoir. It was started as a trading post in 1849 supplying miners with goods at the height of the gold rush. It was on the Tuolumne River – named after Colonel Alden Jackson. Miners in this area used all kinds of novel ideas to get the gold out. In fact, they tried diverting the river and tributary streams to get right down to the river bed. Later, during the building of the Hetch Hetchy Dam, Jacksonville was a stopover for workers traveling between Stockton and the dam site. The town continued on a sleepy path until the 1960’s when Central Valley irrigation needs led to the expansion of he Don Pedro Reservoir. Water was allowed to slowly cover the remnants of the mining settlement.

Area home circa 1930

The current Don Pedro is the 4th largest man-made lake in California. You’ll pass near the old Jacksonville site as you drive to Yosemite via Hwy 120 just west of the Priest grade area (discussed a couple days ago).
Unrelated thought worth quoting: “Pure science is a most unmarketable commodity in California. Conspicuous, energetic, unmixed materialism rules supreme in all classes.”- John Muir, Feb, 1869
*Mr. Half Dome – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

Know how to use it

Half Dome – Yosemite Musing
This one is almost too funny, but there is a moral. Over at Livermore’s Del Valle Park, they have acres and acres of pristine open space to wander about. The lake there is pretty nice. You can rent a kayak any Wednesday night during the summer for $20. That is a great deal and Sunrise Mountain Sports manages the program. Anyway, on Saturday a man who we will call John Doe (although his real name is …. No, I can’t do that.) got into trouble there. Doe is a volunteer trail safety patrol member who was out doing his duty that afternoon about 4 pm. His mission was to walk the trials and assist visitors who might be lost or need help. After he didn’t check in with supervisors after dark, they began to worry. Where did John Doe go? Why didn’t he radio in? Although he is 85, he is fit, knows the park and is a good hiker – good enough to be a trail safety monitor. After a ground search failed, Park officials called in a helicopter that spotted him. 8 hours later all was well and he was out of harm’s way. John got lost in space – lost in time. Turns out he didn’t have a flashlight, nor a charged cell phone. Even worse, he had a park emergency radio – but didn’t know how to use it. AARRGGHH.  The moral is – not only do you need the proper gear  – make sure you know how to use your stuff! Before we break John Doe’s chops over this. I have seen many hikers on the Half Dome trail with a brand new water filter pump and had no idea how to use it. I have passed hikers with trekking poles jammed in their packs – no one told them how to use them. And a compass will do you know good if you don’t know how to use it and read a map. So take advantage of the big sales on gear you need – just be sure to plow through your instruction booklet and practice using it before you leave. Poor John Doe – kinda funny.
Unrelated thought worth quoting: “Relax; breathe; feel the earth; do nothing extra.” – Martin Lee, Tai Chi master
*Mr. Half Dome – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

First to see the valley

Half Dome – Yosemite Musing
Most of the ancient scrolls say that the Mariposa Battalion were the first whites to see Yosemite Valley. But occasional anecdotal mention is made of a fur hunting party lead by Joseph Walker.

Scottish Explorer Joseph Walker

There is some feeling that as they heading south through the Sierra towards Monterey, they might have actually came upon the northern extremes of Yosemite Valley.  This is 1833. Almost 20 years earlier. But why didn’t they follow up? Why didn’t they shout upon high that Nirvana had been seen? His party were the first to travel from the east over the Sierra towards the west – that we know. Journals indicate they may have criss-crossed between the Tuolumne and Yosemite Valleys and that they did not have the ability to descend into the valleys.  So how do we know that they actually described the cliffs and rocks at Yosemite in their recollections?  You can learn more and find out these answers on January 10 at the Livermore Library. John Hiskes and his son, Grant have done a lot of research on this and wrote “The Discovery of Yosemite 1833.”  He will present his findings at 2 pm next Sunday. Set your GPS for the Livermore Public Library Civic Center, 1188 S. Livermore Ave. See the library’s website <HERE>. See you there. A tip of the hat to blog reader Brian G. for this lead.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: For the ladies: “He went away and you hung around and bothered me, every night. And when I wouldn’t go out with you, you said things that weren’t very nice. My boyfriend’s back and you’re gonna be in trouble. You see him comin’ better cut out on the double. You been spreading lies that I was untrue, so look out now cause he’s comin’ after you ” – The Angels

*Mr. Half Dome – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

Back to school

Half Dome – Yosemite 

   Welcome back from Christmas break.  I sure enjoyed watching the Bowl games with Chester Cheetah (the mascot of Cheetos).  Now that everyone is back in town, we’re going to jump back into our Half Dome education. A few of you read the blogs and got light years ahead of those who partied until dawn. That material will be on the mid-term!
    So let’s jump back into it. During the winter months it’s a good idea to bone up by reading Yosemite related books if you have park fever. Today we will discuss “Travels Along 120 – The Big Oak Road,” by Dave Gookin. I found this paperback for $6 at the Groveland Museum last year. It’s a self-published piece of 126 pages with hand drawn illustrations. Gookin wrote the book in 1983 – wow 25 years ago, but he does a good job of telling the story of the “poison oakers” who lived along that highway from the 108 junction through to Yosemite. Lots of history about Jacksonville, Big Oak Flat, Groveland and the places along the road.
    I was thrilled to read his account of Priest Grade. Its named for William Priest, a mining man, engineer and one of the first Yosemite commissioners.  If you have driven 120 to the park, you surely have been up it as it takes you up about 1,575 feet from Moccasin to the top. The windy, steep (17% grade) road that you see to the southeast (after passing the fish hatchery) is the original path that was first a wagon route called The Grizzly Gulch Road. In its day it could take a heavy cargo wagon 5 hours to get to the top. It has become the “old grade.” It was built in the rush to exploit the park in the 1850’s. Today a strong car engine is limited to 20 mph but can get you up the 2.7 miles in about 10 minutes.

Highway 120 "New" Priest Grade

The longer road (6 miles) to the north was built in 1915 and is officially now the Priest Grade. It is a more sane 4% grade. This one will slow you down as tour busses and motor homes wisely take this route. Turn off your A/C going up. About ¾ to the top on the left is a large collection of decaying classic cars. I’m told the KEEP OUT signs mean it and nothing is for sale.  At the top of the grade both roads converge at Priest’s Station. In its heyday it sported a hotel that also served meals to weary travelers. A huge fire up the gulch in 1926 burned it and the spot has not recovered ever since. Coming the other way, your brakes may smell bad or smoke if you take the Old Grade. Not advised.
    In October the Wally Anker family reopened Priest Station as a restaurant and store. They have cleaned up the property, added a deck overlooking Grizzly Gulch and paved the parking lot. The Priest Station site still contains the original water well, which Anker hopes to restore.  An old garage on site serves as their office. Stop by and hve a coke!
Unrelated thought worth quoting: “You may be a little cold some nights, on mountain tops above the timber-line, but you will see the stars, and by and by you can sleep enough in your own town bed, or at least in your grave.” – John Muir, April 1898

*Mr. Half Dome – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

Earliest Yosemite Days

Half Dome – Yosemite Musing

 

 Soon after the 1864 signing of the Yosemite Grant, a group of Commissioners was appointed to oversea things. Check out some of these names: F. Law Olmsted, J. D. Whitney, William Ashburner, I. W. Raymond, E. S. Holden, Alexander Deering, George W. Coulter and Galen Clark. Many now have parts of the park named after them. Clark’s official title was Guardian of the Grove and Valley. He lived year round near Wawona.  In 1865, $2,000 was set aside to pay Clark and to begin some improvements. A lot of the Commissioner’s work was dealing with the many “squatters” who had verbal claims to tracts of land in the new “park” confines. They also set out to discourage trespassing and prevent logging. Surveys of the park began in earnest to improve the rough work done to support the movement to have the land set aside. From June to October of 1866, a team of geologists did a detailed exploration and mapping of the region near the heads of the Merced, Tuolumne and San Joaquin rivers, (the High Sierra). The final product was published in the spring of 1868 and is believed to be the first accurate map of any high mountain region ever prepared in the United States. Accompanying the geologists was photographer Carlton E. Watkins. Above is what is probably the first photo ever taken of Half Dome.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “My pappy said ‘Son you’re gonna drive me to drinkin’ if you don’t stop driving that Hot Rod Lincoln’” – Commander Cody & the Lost Planet Airmen

*Mr Half Dome –Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

Adios 2009 – Welcome 2010

Half Dome – Yosemite Musing

Full moon setting over Half Dome

Only 2 years to the end of the world. 2012. Right. The whole ritual of New Year’s Eve celebrations escapes me. So we made it thru another  year. (That’s good considering the alternative.)  I find it humorous especially on the West Coast.  We stay up bleary eyed to watch what happened 3 hours earlier in New York. Oh well, tradition.  “Resolutions” are funny too. Health club memberships soar and diet companies get an overload of sign ups. With all that said, I hope you have set a goal of getting up Half Dome in 2010.  To quote James Dean – “Dream as if you’ll live forever – Live as if you’ll die today.” Carpe Diem

     I’d like to thank you faithful blog readers for your support.  Now some statistics. The blog attracts over 100 readers a day. My highest day was in September when a man committed suicide on top of the Dome. 680 hits.  My website  “Accidents” pages draws more readers than any other page.  A lot of macabre people out there. Comments on the blog are thin but my analytics tells me you visit often and are reading. (No identity info.) In less than 3 years of blogging, the website has logged 105,000 page views.  My book, One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome continues to do well, although sales slow down in the winter. Currently  it is rated #149,366 in Amazon.com’s best selling books overall and #13 in Yosemite books. Cool. The 2nd edition will have a ton more info but it won’t be out until spring of 2011.

   OK, enough about me. How about you?  If you want, share what your passion will be in 2010. Have you made your Life List? Your Bucket List?  Remember, if you have a lot of plans to do things someday . . . “someday” never comes. Book those trips NOW. Grab for the gusto while you can!  I’ll be here for you – continuing to share my synapses and motivate you. Half Dome is my passion. I’ll help you get to the top of your mountain. See you next year!

- RangerRick (not really a ranger) – 12/31/2009 

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “Heaven knows that John the Baptist was not more eager to get all his fellow sinners into the Jordan than I to baptize all of mine in the beauty of God’s mountains” – John Muir, October 1871.

*Mr. Half Dome – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

Openroad.tv

Half Dome – Yosemite Musing
If you‘ve not seen Doug McConnell’s new project, Openroad.tv, check out his website at <HERE>. Note the unusual domain, DOT TV. Not .com or .net.  (There are several alternate domains that you may not be aware of similar to .gov or .org). Doug was the host of the long running “Bay Area Backroads TV” show.  I  moderate the Active Adventure Forum on the website. Doug now runs his shows on PBS – great vignettes of the West. Here is an interview I did with Doug on Half Dome a year ago. (Update: I’m now up to 25 times.)  Click <HERE> for some tips in this 5 minute clip.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “Although your world wonders me, with your majestic and superior cackling hen, your people I do not understand. So to you I shall put an end – and you’ll never hear  surf music again.” – Third Stone From The Sun, the Jimi Hendrix Experience
*Mr. Half Dome – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

The webcams

Half Dome – Yosemite Musing

Newer fans of Half Dome may not know about the Yosemite  Association  webcams. They have several placed around the park that take periodic still photos that are posted on the web. It’s a great way to keep track of the weather at the park. You can readily view them by using the link I have on my website. Go <HERE> and look on the right side blue buttons. Here’s a shot I captured taken 12/12/09 about noon. It was shot from Turtleback dome.

 

Half Dome looks daunting covered in snow. The clouds on the south side of El Capitan are odd.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “You better stop, look around, here it comes, here it comes, here it comes, here it comes. Here comes your nine-teenth nervous breakdown.” – the Rolling Stones

*Mr. Half Dome – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

LeConte Memorial Lodge Lectures

Half Dome – Yosemite Musing

Meet  Bonnie Gisel. (At least her left side.) She runs the evening lecture program during the summer at the LeConte Lodge, just west of Curry Village (across from “housekeeping”).  The lodge was built by the Sierra Club in 1904. It is named in honor of geologist Joseph LeConte. He was an early Director of the Sierra Club. 
Anyway, the summer programs are great. I have given a couple as shown above. We draw about 50 enthusiastic folks a session. When you go the park, be sure to check out the schedule for the week. Bonnie posts an easel out front with the speakers listed. They are also in the Yosemite “newspaper” that is handed out.  Check out their website <HERE>.

 
Unrelated thought worth quoting: “If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have 4 years of life left.”- Bill Maher
*Mr. Half Dome – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

Odds and ends

Half Dome – Yosemite Musing

If you haven’t been to my website in a while, check it out. www.HikeHalfDome.com - I just added a video clip. It’s the upper level of Sub Dome. I did the hike in June with 3 Brits. You can tell from his accent. I use Yahoo Sitebuilder which I really like. If you are thinking of creating a website – try them. For $12 a month I get the URL, they host it, their tool provides 300 templates and they give 24 phone support. With real Americans on the other end. Best of all there is no html coding involved. WSIWIG – What you see is what you get. The software resides on your system (my laptop), so I can make changes pretty much in real time. Then when you “publish” it goes to the Yahoo server for assembly and web loading. You can make up your own look and feel. I have been playing music for a while on my home page and thought I’d try some video. The clip you see is off my Casio digital camera in Quicktime. I think it looks pretty good. Thought of adding video to the blog – but WordPress charges $60 a year to add video – nah. Lemme know what you think. I have a gob of short videos that I may add from time to time.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “Who put the bomp in the bomp buh bomp buh bomp? Who put the ram in the rama lama ding dong? Who put the bop in the bop shoo bop shoo bop Who put the dip in the dip dee dip dee dip? Who was that man, I’d like to shake his hand . . . He made my baby fall in love with me.” – The Platters

*Mr. Half Dome – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com